Entertainment XI

The madcap Paraguayan keeper was alternately brilliant and bemusing. He was a penalty and free kick specialist, and netted 62 goals in his professional career, including eight at the International level.

He also became the first goalkeeper to score a hat-trick in a professional game when he netted three penalties for Velez against Ferro Carril.

Barcelona's Brazilian full back Dani Alves gets this spot for me. Previously with Sevilla, where he really built up his reputation, the attacking defender is notorious for his marauding runs down the right and his fearsome free kicks.

Maicon is ahead of him currently in the Brazil squad pecking order but Alves is by far the more exciting to watch. Terrific with the ball at his feet and the stamina to get up and down the pitch all day.

Undoubtedly past his best now,but at his peak, Carlos was a sight to behold in the Real Madrid white—holding the left side entirely on his own for several seasons with his sprinting into attack from deep and firing over crosses for the likes of Raul and Morientes to attack.

Gained a reputation for being a terrific free kick taker after his absolute stoker for Brazil against France, but was actually a very inconsistent shooter from dead balls

Scored 71 times for Real Madrid in eleven seasons and is currently playing for Fenerbahce in Turkey.

This classy Italian was, and still is, capable of scoring goals, starting attacks, and breaking up everything the opposition attack can throw at him.

Has been around since about the time that football was invented, seemingly, and his calmness and experience complements his talent on the ball.

Fernando Hierro spent most of his career at Real Madrid where he forged a reputation for defensive brilliance and a penchant for dribbling and passing the ball out of defense.

Won five league titles and three European Cups with Real, and scored an impressive 29 International goals for Spain.

Passing maestro of Barcelona and Spain, Xavi Hernandez is a sublime talent. Regularly completing over 90 percent of his passes in games, Xavi is a constant source of assists to the likes of Eto'o, Henry and Messi.

Previously, was more of a holding midfielder. In recent seasons, his passing prowess has seen him used in more of an attacking role to help open up opposition defenses. Also a terrific free kick taker, Xavi both sets up and scores his share of goals.

Another player who is passing was a fine attribute, Hagi combined close control and dribbling skills with a sublime left foot who could find a teammate or opposition goal with unerring accuracy.

Widely regarded as the finest ever Romanian player, Hagi played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona as well as Galatasary where he is to this day a cult hero.

Captain of Liverpool, Steven Gerrard has everything. Fierce in the tackle, great range of passing, terrific goal scoring ability, and a stamina level which has often seen him score late goals to clinch victory for club and country.

He is the only player to have scored in FA, League, UEFA and Champions League cup finals (winning them all) and has this season surpassed the 100 goal mark for his club.

Captains my side.

'Batigol' was, quite simply, a born goalscorer. Eighth all-time top scorer in Italy's Serie A with almost 200 goals and Argentina's highest ever International scorer with 56 goals in just 78 games.

Spent a large part of his career with Fiorentina, even staying with them when they were relegated, before moving to AS Roma, where he won the league title.

Broke an Italian league record in '94 by scoring in all of the first eleven consecutive matches and finished up his career in Qatar by hitting 25 goals in just 21 games.

To the right of Batigol in his favoured position is the current Barcelona wonderkid Leo Messi. Quick and tricky with his feet, scores bundles of goals and is difficult to mark due to his preference of cutting inside and picking the ball up from deep.

Probably as close to Diego Maradona as the footballing world has ever seen, despite the continual comparisons of considerably lesser-abled players.

Messi can change a game in an instant and is one of the finest dribblers in Europe today.

To complement the attacking trio and add some balance to the side, John Barnes lines up on the left of the three. Super control and dribbling skills, allied to enormous pace and acceleration, 'Digger' was impossible to get the ball off and scored many goals for Liverpool.

Later reinvented himself as a midfielder but his best days were undoubtedly as a flying winger and forward. Scored 11 goals for England including one of the finest International goals of all time, beating four or five Brazilian defenders and slotting home.

There are so many others I could have chosen to put in the team, but I will stick with a regulation seven substitutes and leave it to you to decide who else I should have put in. The likes of Andres Iniesta, Bruce Grobbelaar, Andriy Kanchelskis, and Rivaldo all get honorable mentions, but just miss out.

My subs are:

Goalkeeper: Rene Higuita - invented the scorpion kick, worked a kidnapping case with drug baron Pablo Escobar and tested positive for cocaine while playing in Ecuador. Yep, Higuita is my sub keeper.

Defender: Lucio - steady in defense, good in the air and another who loves to bring the ball out of defense. Captains the Brazil national side and played as a striker in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Midfielders: Kaka, Zinedine Zidane—two of the most gifted players to have graced the modern age, either of them are capable of winning games by themselves. In fact they only are on the bench because I could not decide which of them should take Hagi's place in the starting 11!

Forwards: Ronaldinho, Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry—yes, yes, I know Giggs played most of his career on the wing but in a 4-3-3, he would do just fine as a late replacement for Barnes. Both he and Ronaldinho at their peak, were capable of taking on three, four,or five defenders at a time and delivering a killer pass or scoring and both were impossible to get the ball off. Henry's scoring record at Arsenal speaks for itself and he continues to deliver the goods at the Nou Camp.